1. Technical Field
The present invention generally relates to vehicle occupant protection. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus for reinforcing a body side panel of a motor vehicle.
2. Discussion
A motor vehicle is required to satisfy various Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) designed to reduce incidents of occupant injury. For side impact, a static test and a dynamic test is required. In the static test, which is technically a quasi-static test, a ram is slowly forced into a stationary vehicle at a predetermined height. The vehicle door is required to meet minimum specified force-deflection characteristics. In the dynamic test, a moving barrier simulating a striking vehicle impacts a stationary vehicle at a predetermined speed and height.
A variety of techniques have been utilized in the past in attempts to reduce vehicle cost and weight while not adversely impacting vehicle performance relating to occupant protection. For example, it is known to employ a reinforcement attached to the B-pillar to receive side impact loads which strike the vehicle above the sill. Such a reinforcement is intended to retain necessary strength and impact absorbing capabilities while permitting the gauge of material used for other parts of the body side panel to be reduced, thereby reducing material expense.
While known arrangements have proven to be acceptable for satisfying FMVSS requirements and accordingly reducing occupant injuries, they are all subject to improvement. For example, known arrangements for reinforcing the vehicle are typically expensive and add significant weight to the vehicle.